Quite
important to us, you know. But nothing referring to YOUR
principal." He laughed. "Thank you for the exchange. I say--take
a drink!"
"Thank you--no!" returned Carroll, going to the door.
"Well, good-by."
He held out his hand. Carroll, with his clear eyes still regarding
him, passed quietly by the outstretched hand, opened the door,
bowed, and made his exit.
A slight flush came into Prince's cheek. Then, as the door closed,
he burst into a half-laugh. Had he been a dramatic villain, he
would have added to it several lines of soliloquy, in which he
would have rehearsed the fact that the opportunity for revenge had
"come at last"; that the "haughty victor who had just left with his
ill-gotten spoil had put into his hands the weapon of his friend's
destruction"; that the "hour had come"; and, possibly he might have
said, "Ha! ha!" But, being a practical, good-natured, selfish
rascal, not much better or worse than his neighbors, he sat himself
down at his desk and began to carefully consider how HE could best
make use of the memoranda jotted down by Dr. West of the proofs of
the existence of his son, and the consequent discovery of a legal
heir to his property.
CHAPTER VIII
When Faquita had made sure that her young mistress was so securely
closeted with Dona Maria that morning as to be inaccessible to
curious eyes and ears, she saw fit to bewail to her fellow-servants
this further evidence of the decay of the old feudal and
patriarchal mutual family confidences.
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